Brain : how does human brain create consciousness, and why ?
Consciousness is a complex phenomenon that has puzzled philosophers and scientists for centuries. Despite significant advances in neuroscience, the nature of consciousness remains one of the most enigmatic aspects of the human mind. In this blog post, we will explore the current state of our understanding of how the human brain creates consciousness and why it does so. We will examine the three dimensions of consciousness, the neural correlates of consciousness, the terrain of brain activity, the three gradients of consciousness, and the theories of consciousness. We will also discuss the global neuronal workspace and integrated information as possible explanations for consciousness, as well as the experience of controlling attention and content-free awareness.
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- Writer : Khalipha Justice
- Reviewed : Salman aminu salisu Ph.D
- Editor : Victoria Solomon
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• How Does the Human Brain Create Consciousness, and Why?
The question of how the human brain creates consciousness is a fundamental one in neuroscience. At its core, consciousness is the subjective experience of the world that we have as humans. It includes our thoughts, emotions, perceptions, and sensations, and it is what makes us aware of ourselves and our surroundings. So, how does the brain create this subjective experience?
One possibility is that consciousness emerges from the activities of neurons in the brain. According to this view, consciousness is a byproduct of the brain's computational processes. In other words, consciousness is an emergent property of the brain that arises from the complex interactions of its many neurons.
• Three Dimensions of Consciousness:
The three dimensions of consciousness are: wakefulness, awareness, and self-awareness.
- Wakefulness refers to the state of being awake and alert, as opposed to being asleep or unconscious.
- Awareness refers to the ability to perceive the world around us, including our thoughts, emotions, and sensations.
- Self-awareness is the ability to reflect on oneself as a separate entity from the rest of the world.
• The Neural Correlates of Consciousness:
The neural correlates of consciousness are the neural processes that underlie conscious experience. Researchers have identified several brain regions that are associated with conscious experience, including the prefrontal cortex, the parietal cortex, and the thalamus. These regions are thought to be involved in processes such as attention, perception, and working memory, which are essential for conscious experience.
• The Terrain of Brain Activity:
The terrain of brain activity refers to the patterns of neural activity that are associated with different states of consciousness. For example, during wakefulness, the brain exhibits high-frequency beta waves, whereas during deep sleep, the brain exhibits low-frequency delta waves. These patterns of brain activity are thought to reflect the different states of consciousness that we experience.
• Three Gradients of Consciousness:
The three gradients of consciousness refers to the degree of consciousness that an individual has. The first gradient is the level of arousal, which refers to how awake and alert an individual is. The second gradient is the level of attention, which refers to the ability to focus on a specific task or stimulus. The third gradient is the level of self-awareness, which refers to the ability to reflect on oneself as a separate entity from the rest of the world.
• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation:
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) is a non-invasive technique that can be used to stimulate specific areas of the brain. TMS has been used to investigate the neural correlates of consciousness by temporarily disrupting brain activity in specific regions. Researchers have found that TMS can produce changes in conscious experience, providing further evidence for the link between brain activity and consciousness.
• Theories of Consciousness:
There are many different theories of consciousness, each attempting to explain how the brain creates conscious experience. Two of the most prominent theories are the global neuronal workspace theory and integrated information theory.
• Global Neuronal Workspace:
This theory proposes that consciousness arises from the global exchange of information in the brain. According to this theory, conscious experience occurs when information is integrated into a global workspace that can be accessed by many different brain regions. This allows for the integration of information from different sensory modalities and the creation of a coherent conscious experience. The global neuronal workspace theory also proposes that attention plays a crucial role in consciousness, as it determines which information is integrated into the global workspace.
• Integrated Information:
This theory proposes that consciousness arises from the integration of information in the brain, but it takes a different approach than the global neuronal workspace theory. According to integrated information theory, consciousness arises from the integrated information generated by the brain's complex network of neurons. This integrated information creates a unique experience that cannot be reduced to its individual components.
• How It Feels to Control Attention:
The ability to control attention is a crucial aspect of consciousness. When we are able to focus our attention on a specific task or stimulus, we are more likely to be conscious of it. This experience of controlling attention can be characterized by a feeling of agency or control over our own mental processes.
• Content-Free Awareness:
Content-free awareness is a state of consciousness that is devoid of any specific content or mental representation. It is a state of pure awareness that is not tied to any particular thought or perception. This state of consciousness can be achieved through practices such as meditation and mindfulness, and it has been associated with a range of positive psychological and physiological benefits.
• Conclusion:
In conclusion, the nature of consciousness remains one of the most elusive aspects of the human mind. However, through advances in neuroscience, we have made significant progress in understanding how the brain creates conscious experience. The three dimensions of consciousness, the neural correlates of consciousness, the terrain of brain activity, the three gradients of consciousness, and the theories of consciousness all provide insights into how the brain creates consciousness. The global neuronal workspace theory and integrated information theory offer different perspectives on the relationship between brain activity and conscious experience and the experience of controlling attention. Content-free awareness provide valuable insights into the nature of consciousness. As we continue to study consciousness, we may gain a deeper understanding of this fundamental aspect of human experience.
References:
- Baars, B. J., & Franklin, S. (2003). How conscious experience and working memory interact. Trends in cognitive sciences, 7(4), 166-172.
- Dehaene, S., & Changeux, J. P. (2011). Experimental and theoretical approaches to conscious processing. Neuron, 70(2), 200-227.
- Tononi, G., & Koch, C. (2015). Consciousness: here, there and everywhere? Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 370(1668), 20140167.
- Varela, F., Lachaux, J. P., Rodriguez, E., & Martinerie, J. (2001). The brainweb: phase synchronization and large-scale integration. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 2(4), 229-239.
- Zeki, S. (2001). Localization and globalization in conscious vision. Annual review of neuroscience, 24(1), 57-86.
